Wash kag or pad



Dec. 24, 1935. E. MAR

WASH RAG OR PAD ori inal Filed Jan. 50, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 24,1935.

E. MAR

WASH RAG OR PAD Original Filed Jan. 30, 1933 2 sheets- -sheet 2 Reissued24, 1935 PATENT OFFICE.

wash- RAG or. ran

Edmundo Mar, Houston, Tex assignor of one- I half to PriscillianoElizondo, Monterey, Mexico Original No.

1,968,696, dated July 31, 1934, Serial No. 654,282, January 30, 1933.

Application for reissue May 22, 1935, Serial No. 22,920

13 Claims.

This invention relates to wash rags or pads 1 adapted to be used forbath and other cleansing purposes and, among other objects, aims toprovide an improved, simple and inexpensive rag composed of natural hardvegetable fibre which maybe used alone or which is adapted to beimpregnated with anindividual portion of soap so as to provide abundantlather instantly. One of the main ideas is toprovide a cheap andsanitary rag of this character, which may be used.

only. once and thrown away. Also, the invention aims to provide a hardfibre ragor pad which can be used very ,efiectively and economically toremove grease, paint, ink or dirt from machinery, vessels, etc., withproper solvents, such as gaso line, kerosene,-linseed oil and the like.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in the followingdescription, when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a face view of a fibre rag embodying the invention;

2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of '25-Fig.3isanedgeviewoftheragshown.in1ig.

1 and showing three layers of fibre stitched together;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a modified form of the rag composed of twolayers of fibre; 80 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale,showing the outside face of a palm fibre layer or.,sheet;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a rag or pad in the form of a mitten;

Fig. 'i is a top plan view of the mitten; Fig. 8 is an end view of themitten; and Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view. Ordinary wash rags, spongesand the like, which are used in bathrooms, bathhouses, hotels, 4kitchens, etc., require-frequent sterilization to avoid contaminationand to prevent the spread of diseases. In using such rags, it is quite alaborious operation to saturate them with suflficient soap to produce: agood lather. In fact, 45 they have .to be rubbed on the soap quite oftenwhile they are being used. Ordinary soap usually slips from the hands,"causing bother to find it in soapy water. It is one aim of thisinvention toprovide a greatly improved sanitary, fibrous 50 wash ragwhich has previously been impregnated with an individual portion of soapso that a new ragcan' be used on each occasion. The idea is toimpregnate the rag or pad with just enough soap for one use so asto-avoid unnecessary waste 85 ot soap. Also, the invention contemplatesprevious impregnation of the rag or pad with individual portions ofother substances. Fln'thermore, the idea is to provide a natural, hardvegetable fibre rag or pad which can be used repeatedly and veryefiectively to wash machinery 5 and the like with solvents, theprincipal advantage being the saving of solvent due to the fact that thefibre does not absorb as much of the solvent as the soft fibres ofordinary rags now in general use. Since the fibres are hard, grease'loand dirt cannot penetrate the strands; hence they may be washed oif veryeasily. Moreoven'the fibres will not scratch-ordinary surfaces such asenamel, glass, etc. Further, they'are pliable and will not injurethe'hands. 15 Referring particularly to the drawing Figs. 1 to 4disclose a rag or pad of rectangular shape composed of natural layers ofMexican palm fibres which are suificiently rough to produce thenecessary scrubbing 'or rubbing friction. These palm fibres are strongand light so that the rags or pads made of them will float. Howeveait iscontemplated that fibres of manila hemp, lechuguilla and similarmaterials may be employed. In Fig. 3, the rag is composed of threelayers III, II and I! of the fibres. which are first thoroughlysterilized. The two outer layers Ill and I! are stitched by separatedparallel rows of stitching It to the central layer and are shown asbeing buckled or crimped to provide tubular pockets It. If desired,these pockets may be filled with coarse fibres or some more or lesselastic and yieldable material to keep the pockets open and therebyincrease the suction and expulsion efi'ect when. the rag or pad issqueezed and released. Before the layers are stitched together, thefibre in the middle layer or in both of the outerlayers, or in all ofthe layers, is previously soaked in a soap solution, either alone, or incombination with one or more chemical compounds which will produce 40abundant lather in soft or hard water. Ordinary thread is used to bindthe layers together and the stitches serve to prevent displacement ofthe fibre. In makingthe rag. composed-of three layers, the two outsidelayers Ill and I! are longer than the-middle layer and are buckled orcrimped to provide pockets of the desired size. The purpose of thepockets is to providelarge air spaces between the layers and therebyform an air cushion which causes the rapid formation of soap lather orsuds by suction and expulsion when the rag is compressed and released.

Fig. 1 shows two fiat layers or sheets of natural fibre stitchedtogether by parallel rows of stitches as illustrated-in Pig. 1. Theselayers are inmat- 55 either or both layers may be impregnated. When itis used for washing machinery, etc. with solvents such as gasoline,kerosene, linseed oil and the'like, the interstices or air spaces serveto increase the carrying capacity. The solvent fills the air spaces andclings to the surfaces of the strands, thus tending to prevent dirt fromentering the rag. The strands are so close together that the outer facesof the rag act as strainers also to prevent large particles of dirt fromentering the rag. Further, the outer strands collect practically all ofthe dirt and can be cleaned very easily; whereas, ordinary soft fibresquickly absorb dirt and grease in their capillary tubes and must bediscarded.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, there is shown a rag or pad in theform of a mitten. In this case, a rag I5 is shown as being made ofmultiple layers of fibre stitched together intermediate their edges byparallel rows of stitches it to provide tubular air pockets like thoseshown in Fig. 3 and to one side of the rag is stitched two pieces ofwaterproof fabric or material I! and II of different widths so as toprovide a mitten of such size to fit the hand. The free end of the ragis preferably bound by a tape l8 stitched to the fibre layers. While theinner waterproof piece I I may be omitted in some cases, it is preferredso as to prevent directcontact of the hand with the rag during its use.It will be observed that both pieces offabric are wider than the rag andthat they are stitched to the edges of the ,rag by a single row ofstitching 20 which serves also to bind the ends of the multiple layersof fibre. The space between the waterproof layers and the rag may bepartially filled with a charge of any kind of soap 'such as the pieceswhich usually go to waste or powdered soap. This type of pad is not onlyadapted for use in bathing or washing the body, but is especially usefulin cleansing lavatories, bath-tubs, sinks, kitchen.- ware, floors,furniture and other articles. It will last much longer than the ordinaryfibre rag without the mitten attachment.

When the improved rag or pad is to be used in hard or salty water, it iscontemplated that one of-the outerlayers of fibre shall be impregnatedwith citric acid or its equivalent and the other outer layer withbicarbonate of soda or its equivalent; while the middle layer is coveredor coated with a thin layer of soap. These materials are selectedbecause they do not decompose the soap. I

The chemical reaction of citric acid and bicarbonate of soda in thewater produces an eil'ervescence which causes the soap to make abundantfoam or suds in any'kind of water. The same result may be accomplishedby impregnating the outer layers of fibre with soap and depositingbicarbonate of soda in some of the pockets and citric acid in otherpockets. This is especially desirable when only two layers of fibre areused,

asshowninFig.3. Insomecaseabicarbonate' of soda, alone. will besuilicient if the-water'is ofsuchnatureastocausethedesir deflervesoence.

. iportion.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved ragsor pads may be manufactured at a very low cost and that they areespecially adapted for many uses. They may be wrapped in waterproofpaper of "cellophane" and 5 are absolutely sanitary. Their use makespossible a very considerable saving of soap or' cleaning solvent'andavoids the expense of laundering ordinary rags.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particularembodiments thereof herein' shown and described.

- What is claimed is:

l. A rag of the character described composed of layers of palm fibrestitched together with parallel rows of stitching across the strands tohold the layers together the strands in said layers being generallyparallel with each other.

2. A wash rag or pad comprising multiple layers of sterilized vegetablefibre sewn together by 20 a plurality of parallel rows of stitches, twoof said layers being buckled with respect to each other to provide airpockets in the spaces between the rows of stitches.

3. A wash rag or pad composed of multiple lay- 25 ers of vegetable fibresecured together at least one ofthe layers being impregnated withsoap:and separate charges .of citric acid and bicarbonate of soda carried bythe layers to produce abundant foam in any kind of water.

4. A wash rag or pad composed of at least two layers of vegetable fibresecured together face to face by spaced rows of stitches and beingcharged with foam-producing chemicals which react with each other inwater and cause soap to form layer and opposed buckled layers ofhardvegetable fibre stitched to said flat central layer by parallel rows ofstitches to provide air pockets between the rows of stitches whichproduce suction and expulsion in use.

7. A mitten-type pad comprising a rag portion 50 composed of multiplelayers of vegetable fibre impregnated with soap and stitched together atintervals;- said layers having opposed buckled portions between the rowsof stitches to form pockets; and a piece of waterproof material 55stitched to the opposite sides and one end of the rag portion providinga pocket toreceive the hand 8. A mittenype pad comprising a rag. portioncomposed of mutipie layers of vegetable fibre stitched together atintervals with the outside layers bowed so as to present pockets betweenthe stitching: and W, separate pieces of waterproof material stitched tothe opposite sides and one end of the rag portion providing a'spacebetween said pieces to receive the hand and also a pocket between thefibre layers and thewaterproof layers to insert soap or other materials.

9. A mittenype pad comprising a fiat rag portioncomposed of Separatelayers of natural hard vegetable fibre extending across the pad andstitched together by parallel rows of stitches across the strandsandlongitudinally of the pad;

andahandpocketsecuredtoonesideofthersg ior leolosAwashragorpadiorwashingmachinery and the like with solvents.comprising at least one layer oi. hard vegetable fibres having strandsextending in the same general direction; and 8&- curing means across thestrands to hold them assembled in substantially fiat pad form with thestrands on its opposite iaces exposed.

11. An elongated rag or pad oi the character described composed oflayers of natural, hard.

vegetable fibres in the form of hair-like strands extendinglongitudinally of the pad and stitched together across the strands tohold the assembled layers substantially fiat in pad form. t

12. A wash rag or pad or the character described comprising two layersof natural hard vegetable fibres having strands extending in the samegeneral direction and sewn together across the strands at spacedintervals to provide air spaces between thelayers whereby the rag, whencompressed and released, will produce a suction and expulsion eii'ect,said fibres being suillciently rough to produce the necessary cleansingfriction.

13. A rag or pad of the character described composed of a plurality oflayers of natural palm fibres with the strands extending in the samegeneral direction and secured together by spaced parallel rows ofstitches across the strands whereby the pad presents outwardly bulgingportions between the rows of stitches to produce a suction and expulsionwhen the rag is used.

' Enmmno mm.

